Connecticut Books

Who would have thought that Connecticut was a mining center in Revolutionary War times. Easy reading and a treasure trove of rare old photographs of CT mining. Immersive.

"A CT Place" places Weir in the highest ranks of 19th century American painters. This catalogue brings together some of his best work, revealing the amazing subtleties of his style as he portrays the Connecticut landscape as it really is and feels - the dense woods, rolling fields, the colors of spring and fall. A must have for any fan of impressionism and painting in general.

This is a detailed mile by mile guide to the Connecticut River, breaking the river up into a series of 28 reaches (1 reach per chapter). There are maps for each reach with sufficient lat/lon indicators to enable interpolation for GPS waypoints.

River conditions from flatwater to Class IV whitewater are covered in detail as are campsites, sightseeing/sidetrip opportunities and major landmarks along the river, plus a bit of history.

As a 'boating' guide, it is probably most useful to paddlers in canoes or kayaks, or perhaps rafts/inflatables. Access points, particularly formal and informal access points for cartop boats, are covered in text and on the maps.

The thick, coated cover of the book is excellent quality, will handle some spray, and the page edges are rounded to avoid fraying/splaying -- making this guide suitable for on-river use.

Connecticut Survival, part of The Survival Series, is a comprehensive guide to dealing with all of the bureaucratic stuff of life, yet it is concisely written. It has all the forms your teenager or young adult will have to fill out sooner or later -- registration to vote, job application, passport, tax forms, and more, so they can become familiar with them in advance. It also has good advice -- like how much money is safe to borrow or how to make a budget. It explains how to open a checking account and balance a check book! That's why I think every high school senior should have this book, or its companion books, New York Survival and California Survival. The books list lots of web sites that are useful for navigating life. I feel better knowing my college freshman can use this guide to help her manage her new independence.

I saw this charming book featured in the Hartford Courant and bought it to quiz my kids about the state they live in. We have a great time with our question and answer sessions, especially on road trips and travels throughout Connecticut.

This is a great reference book for Connecticut wildlife, from deer to aphids, and trees to lichens.

Many of the entries are written in a conversational tone, with the author sharing his experiences with that species in Connecticut. He will say something like, "I have often seen this species breeding in shallow pools of Milford in April" or "This species is limited to the traprock ridges of central Connecticut". That is what makes this book different from so many other reference books out there.

The book is not necessarily an identification key, although it would certainly be helpful when trying to identify a species. It is more a description of the species found in the state and how they live. That is certainly handy when all you've got is a guide for, say, trees of North America and many of the trees shown do not even live in Connecticut. Here you would find out that Chinquapin oak or yellow oak are rare on limestone ridges and ledges in western Connecticut, that scarlet oak is shade intolerant, and black oak is typical of dry, sandy soils.

There is also general information about wildlife and the many types of ecosystems found in Connecticut. You can use this book to learn about vernal pools, salt-marshes, or the Connecticut River. There is a discussion about how insects tolerate being frozen and another on how galls are made.

There are a lot of pictures in the book, but there is not a picture of each species listed, which I think is a drawback.

Entries are organized by biological classification, for example, 'segmented worms', with a brief introduction of that group.

As with all of Mark Twain's work this book works on two very different levels. The first of course is a simple adventure story the second is a bitingly satiric work that unmasks many of the hypocracies of "conventional wisdom".

I have to believe that most of his readers of his time (and ours) did not understand his underlying messages regarding society and its institutions. For me, it was hard to miss the way he unmasked the church, the state and society as a whole. I had to laugh out loud at some of the ways he managed to expose the absurdities of government and religion.

This book is a quick read and is immensely satisfying if the reader takes the time to follow Twain's logic to its natural conclusions.

All of the pocket classics are an excellent way for parents to introduce their children to the best literature. This book in particular opens a window onto the works of Mark Twain, and from this one small book, the little people in your life can leap into the days of yore through Twain's words and the marvelous illustrations.

I've read many times the celtic tales written by historians or history teachers. However, i've never read those tales in such touching and heartwarming way. Ella Young loved her land, and it notices. From the creation of the world, to the arrival of christianity to Ireland, these celtic tales are lovely to hear and to read. I've read the spanish version (a translation), and even when i know that in the translations some of the original spirit is lost, this doesn't occur with Celtic Wonder Tales. The writing is so simple, direct and beautiful, that the only complaint i could have is that the book is too short. I'd loved a longer book, including more and more legends, in Ella's precious style.

Donald Carter's book, Connnecticut Seaside Ghosts is a pleasure to read for spiritualists and skeptics alike. Thoroughly researched and lyrically written, this book is the best of the genre. Whether your interest is in paranormal investigation, local history, or simply an engrossing story, this book will not disappoint. For the visual artist, an added draw is the amazing cover art and quality photography. I expect great things from Carter, and look forward to his future works.